Top Considerations when choosing to purchase Wooden Pallets

February 27, 2013

Over the last 50 years the shipping pallet has undergone a series of innovations and material transformations. Today, one finds pallets in a range of dimensions and materials including wood, wood composites or particle board, plastic and metal. Despite the introduction of other materials, solid wood remains the overwhelming material of choice for shipping and warehouse operations. There are very good reasons for this. Below are the most important factors to consider when selecting wood pallets for your business.

Easy to Customize

Solid wood pallets have an enormous advantage over pallets created from other materials in that they are easy to design and replicate. Wood pallets can be easily customized to meet the detailed specifications of the products being shipped. With the aid of a computer aided pallet design system or PDS, wood pallets can be engineered to the optimal stiffness and strength requirements of the product to be shipped. This design flexibility reduces costs and product damage while increasing safety.

Recyclable

One of the concerns about wood pallets is environmental. Fortunately, the image of mountains of unused wood pallets blotting the landscape is becoming a thing of the past. There are many initiatives underway to address this issue, the most promising being pallet companies that offer innovative full-cycle green production with 100% recuperation policies. These initiatives free up precious storage space at worksites, and the recovered pallets are then reused, recycled or used in the production of a renewable energy such as biomass.

Heat Treatment

The heat treatment process effectively destroys any larvae or parasites present in the wood used to create pallets. It has the additional benefit of reducing moisture content and thus weight of packaging resulting in significant savings in the overall cost of shipping. Make sure the wood pallet company you choose to work with complies with ISPM-15 international health standards. This ensures your products move freely across the globe.

Wood pallets remain one of the most attractive methods for shipping and storing. Their design flexibility, durability and cost-effectiveness make them perennial favorites. When considering wood pallets, seek companies that have rigorous quality standards and a commitment to the environment.